The smart cart from Instacart guides you to the sauce that is on sale.
The cart may suggest that you pair your fries with sauces.
A new solution for grocery shopping has been introduced, designed to assist those who have difficulty locating specific products, such as pasta sauces. Instacart's Caper Cart, an intelligent shopping cart with a touchscreen and payment terminal, offers a mapping system that facilitates navigation through the store. This technology not only allows users to find items they want but also identifies products on sale, in addition to directing users on "missions" that can lead to savings.
Caper Carts have been in limited operation in certain grocery stores for a few years. When adding products to the cart, it automatically keeps a count on the screen using integrated cameras, sensors, and a scale, except for some types of fresh produce. One of the most appealing features of this cart is its ability to import shopping lists directly from the Instacart app simply by scanning a QR code.
In a demonstration with Ahmed Beshry, one of the co-founders of Caper Cart, a new "gamified" feature was presented: when adding an item to the cart, the device suggests the location of a second item that, when picked up, unlocks additional discounts. The cart’s map displays a dotted line path to the next product, providing real-time updates on the cart's location as it moves.
The cart offers a 3D mapping system of the store's interior, allowing users to know where they are and what items are on sale. Additionally, it can launch a "treasure hunt" for shoppers to find special deals. To increase user interaction, the cart rewards frequent store visits through a "shopping streak" system, although it can also make recommendations that, at times, may be intrusive.
Despite these innovations, accessing one of these carts can be complicated; although the company claims it has "tripled its presence" of Caper Carts in the last six months and plans to introduce thousands more, it has not specified the exact locations where they can be found. Some stores where they may be available include Bristol Farms, Fairway Market, The Fresh Grocer, Kroger, and others regionally in the United States, as well as Aldi in Austria.
